The present invention relates to a package for a beverage and in particular to an aseptic beverage container of blow molded plastic with an oxygen barrier wrap surrounding the container.
In recent years, the cardboard "juice box" has become a popular package for fruit juices and other beverages sold in a single service size container. Such juice boxes are popular because their low cost makes them disposable. However, to form a container having the necessary properties to store and preserve the contents, the present day juice boxes are constructed of several layers of different materials laminated together. The individual layers can not be efficiently separated for recycling of the various materials. As a result, the containers are deposited in landfills or incinerated rather than being recycled.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a single service "juice box" container of easily recyclable materials and of a construction which enables the different materials to be readily separated for recycling.
The beverage package of the present invention consists of a blow molded plastic container that is generally rectangular in shape. The blow molded container is made of a single plastic resin such as high density polyethylene (HDPE) for which a recycled resin market has already been developed. However, since HDPE is oxygen permeable, the plastic container is hermetically sealed in a high barrier film to form an oxygen barrier around the container. The barrier prevents exposure of the container to oxygen, thus increasing the product shelf-life.
The barrier wrap and the blow molded container are separated from one another when the beverage is consumed. The result is two separate components, each of a single material and each readily recycled.
In a preferred embodiment, the blow molded container includes a recessed groove in its side wall for placement of a straw therein. A telescoping straw is used which enables, the straw to be packaged at a length less than the height of the container. Accordingly, a bend in the straw is no longer required. By placing the straw in a recessed groove in the container, the straw need not extend outwardly from the side of the container where it can be accidentally removed and lost.
Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.